


Charlie falls in love with Sweet Dee

by JettaRenton



Category: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Genre: Episode: s10e06 The Gang Misses the Boat, F/M, Protective Charlie
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-26
Updated: 2017-03-31
Packaged: 2018-09-27 00:44:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9942569
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JettaRenton/pseuds/JettaRenton
Summary: Post- The Gang Misses the boat. Charlie deals with his feelings towards Dee in the most Charlie way possible; avoidance.





	1. Charlie's Morning After

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! 
> 
> Okay so I got fed up with the lack of Chardee in the world that I had to write some headcannons I have. Basically it will be a Charlie POV from post banging Dee and kind of fills in some gaps since then. 
> 
> So I am making this story slightly different from all the fan theories in that Charlie and Dee aren't banging on the side in this. But obviously they will be by the end of this fic. 
> 
> Dunno how big or long it will be. Depends on if anyone reads it.

Friday 7:24am in Philadelphia. 

 

He wakes up before she does. We are laying in huge bed (probably feels huge because it isn't actually a sofa or filled up by Franks round meatbag of a body). We are both naked and not hungover. Last night we were both sober. Charlie is sure that makes what happened way more scary. They can't blame being browned out on alcohol or high on something crazy. It will be all on us- it was what we both wanted. 

Charlie is terrified. He lays there staring at the ceiling wondering what the fuck to do. 

He wishes it was terrible. But it wasn't. In fact it was amazing. He didn't realize sex could feel like that. He now gets why everyone is so obsessed with it. 

It wasn't like that with Ruby. In fact, he hated it. So much touching, and looking awkwardly in each other's eyes. He hated it. But banging Ruby served a very specific purpose. 

He didn't hate this.  
He loved it. Was it because it was Dee? He always liked Dee. He had a bit of crush on Dee in high school. But he couldn't do anything about it. She was Dennis weird sister. Dennis would have eaten him alive for even looking at his sister in any way. In fact, Dennis will still probably eat him alive now. 

As he is staring up at the ceiling, he remembers the first time he seen Dee since high school. It was at UPenn. He and Mac had come by the campus to visit Dennis. Dennis used the opportunity to do him and brag about his great college life. They were out in the courtyard, standing in the hot sun as Dennis showed us all the hot avaliable college girls. He noticed her walking towards them instantly. But Charlie didn't realize it was Dee. 

He remembers thinking that he probably never seen a woman look more hot than her at that moment. She obviously just got her back brace off because she looked confident. He doesn't even remember the conservation they all had. All Charlie could remember is staring at her thinking that he never seen anything as beautiful as her. 

They all started calling her Sweet Dee after that. He always thought Sweet Dee was a perfect nickname for her. Now she is all sorts of horrible names that we call her. 

A whore. A slut. A bitch. A bird. Charlie doesn't think she is any of those things. He just says all that stuff to fit in with Dennis and Mac. 

Charlie looks over to her while she sleeps. She looks so serene. So innocent. He supposed he would too when he is asleep. He gets that waking up next to her, staring at her is much more intimate than any of the various things they did last night. 

Oh my god did they do a lot of stuff last night. It wasn't just some quick drunk bang. In fact it felt like years of flirting and foreplay going into one night of amazing sex (Charlie can't wrap his head around hating sex with anyone but her apparently). He can remember how her skin felt as he run his hands down her legs as they were wrapped around his waist. He remember the way her back curved up to met his as he thrusted into her deeper and deeper. He remember what she looked like as she swirled her hips along his as she rode him-desperate for more. The way she bit down on her lip when Charlie managed to hit the right spot inside her. 

He wants to wake her up. He wants to do it all again. He wants to fuck her forever. 

But he knows that won't happen. He knows that when she wakes up she will look at him and realize she slept with him. The man who sleeps in the same bed with his maybe dad (her kind of dad too- ugh..), who eats cat food, who spends all his time stalking a girl who doesn't even get him, who routinely has his hands inside toilets and has to spend all his time cleaning up the yuck puddle. He knows she will shriek and scream. He knows she will close up immediately because of how they have all treated her for years. 

He can't say he blames her. She deserves more than him. More than being stuck with the gang. 

But life gave her the gang. Life gave her him. So Charlie decides to leave before any of this happens. He doesn't think he could bare the fake anger, the defensiveness and all around awarkardness of the morning after. 

Charlie leaves her apartment and goes straight to Paddys. He goes to his bad room and stays there the rest of the morning, changing his clothes and making it seem like he was here all night (if anyone suspects anything) 

\------------------------------------------

 

No one else comes to the bar for ages. Charlie remembers that the gang kind-of sort of broke up a couple of days ago but they still own this bar right? They have to come to work. Mac is in the back, but he isn't working. He is banging that weird stripper. 

Dee comes in later. She obviously remembers everything that happened. She freezes as she walks in the door and stares at him trying to figure him out. He decides to be easy on her again and be normal. 

"Hey Dee" He says as normal as he can considering he is having vivid memories of how her lips feel along his skin. Dee looks at him and Charlie can see the relief all over her face as she gets what Charlie is trying to do.  
"Charlie" she says it so stilted and formal that it nearly makes Charlie scream in frustration at her. 

The whole afternoon is awkward as fuck. Both he and Dee barely speak. When Charlie starts thinking about grabbing her by the hips and dropping her on the bar and just banging her into it hard, he decides he needs a beer. 

The inclusion of Dennis, Frank and eventually Mac to the awkward situation makes it all go away. He can sit here at the bar with his beer and his rum ham and go back to normal. As long as he doesn't look at her. When he looks at her, he can't help but think. Think of things he shouldn't. 

He quickly leaves the beer and rum ham (and the presence of Dee) to go clean the yuck puddle. He won't be able to think about anything at all in there.


	2. Charlie goes on Family Fight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Filling in the gaps between 10x06 to the end of season 10.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I am having fun writing Charlie POV. I hope that comes across. I am trying to write him more stream or conscious, less formal like I normally would. 
> 
> I have a few ideas for Chardee moments that aren't in the show that I will put in chapters but I am happy to take suggestions or prompts. Anything I like or think fits in this store I'll add it in 
> 
> Anyway Happy Reading!!

Chapter 2: 

Things go back to normal. Well as normal as their lives are. Charlie immediately throws himself in a scheme with Mac to get his dad off a murder charge and to use his skills as a Defender of Justice. That scheme worked out not so well, considering Mac's dad wants nothing to do with him. But it was a good distraction because Dee wasn't involved. 

In fact Charlie is trying to spend most of his time with Mac. Mac and Dee barely tolerate each other so Charlie thinks it will easier to avoid her (and all sorts of thoughts of her) if he spends time scheming with Mac. 

He also avoids Dennis. Charlie feels like he might accidentally spill his guts every time Dennis talks to him. He thinks Dennis would have the worst reaction to Charlie and Dee banging. Charlie thinks Dennis would probably kill him. Like literally. 

\------------------------------------------

They go on Family Fight. It's a bit of fun, Charlie only cares about winning because everyone else does so much. Charlie is more excited about discovering a new kind of cheese that he has never heard of. 

While at Family Fight, Charlie is forced to spend time with Dee (and the rest of the gang). She looks like amazing, like one of the girls who should be in a magazine. Charlie is often amazed how good Dee can look (and sometimes how bad THEY make her look). When she is all perfect like this, Charlie thinks she doesn't belong with the gang. But then she does her joke about cocks and he thinks that maybe she fits in more than anyone else ever. 

When they get back to the bar the next night after their spectacular failure at Family Fight, Charlie tries to get Dee on her own to tell her how nice she looked yesterday or always actually. He doesn't know how she will react or if she will even take a compliment without getting defensive. But Charlie feels compelled to say something. Maybe just wants to talk to her? He feels so different towards her since missing that god damn boat (he knows it's because they banged- he is trying not to actively think of THAT anymore). 

In some kind of miracle, the rest of the gang just naturally disappear by the end of the night. Frank is in the back office doing something with books. Mac and Dennis left to go back to Dee's apartment. Leaving Dee here to close. She looks kind of miserable. She doesn't even notice him standing by the pool table, just looking over at her as she counts the last of the small amount of money in the register. 

"You looked nice yesterday Dee. Actually you look nice like all the time" Dee looks up at him in the corner of the room startled. She looks like a deer in the headlights. Charlie wonders if it's because he is here in the bar or because he gave her a compliment. 

"Jesus Charlie. What the fuck are you doing creeping in the corner?"  
"I wasn't creepin. You just forgot I was here"  
"Well run along." Dee goes back to counting the money slowly. It's obvious she isn't actually counting. She is just ignoring him.  
"I said you look nice. Did you not hear me?"  
"Charlie.." She looks annoyed. Charlie doesn't get it. Like he expects her to be defensive or angry but he just doesn't get it. She is pretty, why can't she take a god damn compliment? He must be a glutton for punishment because he doesn't even know why he tries with her sometimes. She is just so..ugh frustrating. 

While he stands there staring at her getting more and more frustrated at her stupid behavior, Dee looks into his eyes and softens slightly. 

"Thanks Charlie" she says it such a soft voice, that it makes his eyes bulge. He looks at her and feels like he can see right through her. Like they are connected in some weird cosmic-y destiny type of way. He can't look away from her. Her face softens and she looks so beautiful that he feels like he will remember her face like this always. 

Charlie starts to walk towards her at the bar, like his feet are being pulled into her force field by like some magnetic force. 

Frank coughs in the back room and both Charlie and Dee panic and scramble back into defensive mode. Charlie looks at Dee one last time before he walks out the back door into the alley and all the way back home. 

\------------------------------------------

If Charlie isn't at Paddys, he is normally with the Waitress. The gang likes to call it stalking but Charlie always thought of it as looking out for her. Having her back yeah? 

But lately, he just hasnt been bothered. Not that he hasn't been looking out for her, he has! Just not in person. He pays his spies for a reason. So lately he has been getting this scabby old homeless guy that Cricket knows to watch her and give him updates on the Waitress. Problem is, well, the homeless dude keeps texting him updates with words even after he explicitly said only send photos. This crusty old dude keeps just writing messages that Charlie just can't read. 

Even then, Charlie still can't bring himself to actually go in person and watch out for the Waitress. There just always seems to be other things to do. It's no big deal... its not like he is choosing to stay at the bar later to help Dee clear tables, or hang around the bar more even when all the guys are giving him the shits, just to hang. Then again, that's totally the truth. He choose to do all those things again and again rather than even catch a glimpse of the love of his life. Like that doesn't mean anything right? 

(Deep inside he knows it does. He has never spent this much time NOT watching the Waitress. He just doesn't know what to do with this information) 

Instead of spending time with the love of his life, he spends it thinking. 

He thinks of that night like 1500 times a day at least. Like all the time. Like whenever he does Charlie Work, when he and Mac get involved with Ass kickers United (the whole time he spends his time in Dees apartment he can't help but stare at the couch where they made out or her bed where he fucked her) or when Dennis scores some free tickets to an Eagles game that they didn't even tell Dee about. 

It's only when Charlie and Dee make their blood oath when Frank retires, that Charlie wonders if she ever thinks about it. It was only a few weeks ago, people don't forget things that quick right? Like is she consumed by thoughts about that night like he is? 

He wants to ask her. He wants to say to her "Dee- I think about that night every day. Can we bang again?" But he isn't an idiot. She would just laugh in his face. 

At least he thinks she would. He doesn't actually know. He hates not knowing.


	3. The Gang plays some games

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometime between 10x10 and 11x01. Still adding more thoughts to Charlie's mind!

It's a particularly boring Thursday night after they help set fire to Dennis and Mac's apartment for the second time when they are so bored that they decide to play stupid games for kids. 

Dee, Dennis and Mac are all arguing and yelling at each other at the bar. Something to do with rent in Dee's apartment. Charlie isn't particularly interested in what the hell is going on with them except he is pretty sure that Frank told him that he pays for Dee's rent. So maybe she is scamming them? Charlie couldn't blame her if she was. So he leaves them be as he cleans all the tables. 

A few minutes ago a group of pretty, clean and fancy girls were in one of Paddy's dank booths. Charlie couldn't figure out how they made it over to Paddy's and the seedy part of town but he didn't particularly care either. Charlie didn't even realize they were pretty until Dennis practically drooled and made a fool of himself to try and bang one of them. 

Of course they left pretty quickly after that. Charlie remembered when it seemed like Dennis could get any woman. Now it seems he has trouble getting any woman's attention. At all!

It slightly pleases Charlie to know that while Dennis has trouble banging anything, Charlie had an unbelievable lay with a 10. Of course Dennis wouldn't rate his sister a 10- in fact he wouldn't rate her at all (He hopes- their relationship is weird man). 

Charlie finds a small sheet of paper on the table left by those girls. He can't read it for shit but something about listing "kill" and what looks like people's names. Charlie thinks maybe it's some kind of murder list. He runs over to the gang and immediately shows it to Mac. Mac looks at it for one second and does that sigh they do whenever Charlie's illiteracy becomes a problem. 

"Charlie. Murder list? What the hell dude? It's just a stupid game of Fuck, Marry, Kill" Mac throws the paper away behind him, forgotten as he looks to go back into arguing with Dennis and Dee. But Dennis is already interested in the little piece of paper, asking if his name was under Fuck (it wasn't). Charlie is still trying to figure out what the hell Fuck Marry Kill is. Sounds stupid though...

"What's Fuck, Marry, Kill?" Frank saves Charlie from asking for himself.  
"Ugh it's nothing. Stupid kids game. You pick three people and pick which one you would want to Fuck, Marry or Kill" Mac explains as Frank gets bored with the answer and just walks off out the to the office of Paddy's.  
"So for example if I was to pick- I'd Fuck Dennis, Marry Charlie and Kill Dee" Mac continues, not noticing Frank leaving. Charlie looks to the rest of the gang as Mac tells them his choices. Fuck Dennis?  
"Fuck Dennis? Oh good! You are finally admitting it" Dee seems pleased. Too pleased with this whole conservation. Charlie is still confused. Yeah ok Mac is gay, but he would rather marry me and fuck Dennis? But they are already practically married!  
"Admitting what? Obviously these choices are based on us not being related by blood like you and Dennis and sexuality not being an issue. That's how you play the game- with amendments"  
"Right. Of course. It's not like you exactly want to bang Dennis" Even Charlie could hear the sarcasm in Dee's voice. Mac apparently couldn't though.  
"Yeah! Exactly! Since you think my choices are so shit- who would you choose then Dee? No doubt the wrong ones you big bird" Mac looks to the rest of the gang for some kind of recognition of his joke- Charlie wants to glare at Mac, but only manages to just ignore it. Can't give away too much in front of the guys.  
"With amendments? Pretending I am not related to two out of the choices? ... well I would Marry Frank, cos he is rich. I would kill you Mac and I would Fuck Charlie" 

Eerie dead silence after Dee announces her picks. Mac looks infuriated that anyone would want to kill him. Dennis looks positively livid. 

Charlie is actually shocked that she would choose to Fuck him (obviously he knows she has made that choice in real life but still). Maybe he can hope she isn't against banging again in real life too? 

"You would rather bang the dirtgrub than fuck me?" Dennis is staring down Dee that normally terrifies the rest of us. But Dee seems so unbothered. In fact, she looks like she is enjoying it. Huh  
"You mean even without the fact we wouldn't be related? Oh yeah. You see, Dennis I know you better than any the rest of these dickbags. Fact is you are the worst human being alive."  
"Oh really? The worst? You little bitch, why not Kill me instead of Mac then huh?"  
"Mac annoys the shit out of me that I want to kill him every minute of everyday. But If I wasn't your twin, I wouldn't even think about you Dennis..."

Dennis snarls at Dee and begins to jump over the bar to get to Dee. Mac immediately jumps up to pull Dennis back and hold him away from his twin sister. Charlie watches this- absolutely mind-blown. Obviously Dennis isn't happy to not be the centre of the (her?) universe- He doesn't know how they ever grew up together without killing each other. Dee gets up from her stool at the bar and struts away out of the back of the bar, laughing the whole way while Dennis is screaming and swearing at her. 

Charlie watches Dee walk off, still thinking that she would rather bang him than anyone else in the gang. Charlie refuses to think of the fact that the rest of the gang is her brother, her dad and a guy she hates. 

\--------------------------------------------

The next day it's obvious that Dennis is still not talking to Dee. But they are both in the bar late, pretending to work like the rest of the gang. It's Friday night so the bar was relatively busy for a little while. Dennis is in a better mood since he got a kind of cute girl really drunk. Dennis is trying his best to bang this chick, but the girl appears to like having Dee around. Like some kind of sisterhood- we are woman thing? Dee is obviously disturbed by this but wants the drunk girls tips so she puts up with it. 

This also means Dennis has to play nice with Dee or the drunk girl will fuck off without banging Dennis. Dee keeps smirking at Dennis which makes the vein in Dennis' head pop out like some angry alien creature. 

Eventually the drunk girl suggests to play Truth or Dare. Immediately everyone but Dennis groans and does not want to play. Dennis is keen though. Probably because he can imagine daring the drunk girl into banging him in the back room. Charlie hates Truth or Dare- he becomes the guy who gets asked to do all the weird gross dares. It's boring.

Somehow they all still end up sitting at a booth, each with a bottle of hard liquor in front of them playing this stupid game. They get their turns humiliating one another. Mac gets Frank to touch the yuck puddle. Dennis makes the drunk girl kiss him. Dee gets Frank to promise to throw away his toe knife. So far no one has made Charlie do anything particularly gross- digging around the trash is normal day for him! 

Finally the gang gets to the part of the game where dares are now boring and truths become way more interesting. Everyone is beginning to brown out (Dee and Charlie less so, they can hold their liquor much better than the rest of the gang). With browning out, the gang starts to become more confident to ask deep dark secrets as truths. Dee gets Frank to admit the amount of money they spent on the Get Dee famous and successful prank. Mac asked Dennis if he has ever kissed a dude (he has. No one is surprised at the answer or Mac asking). It goes on and on. Charlie is getting super bored. The alcohol isn't kicking in quick enough. He is about to smash his bottle against the wall and walk out, just to cure the boredom. 

But... then he really thinks. He has a thought. He could ask Dee what's been weighing on his mind for weeks. 

Do you think about it? Does it consume you? Do you look at me and just wonder? Do you remember? 

He doesn't have the balls to ask in front of the rest of the gang so he has to wait to get Dee alone (but still in the game?). He waits another god damn three rounds of childish dares and boring truths. Finally Frank has passed out in the booth behind us, Dennis, Mac and Drunk Girl need more drinks so they go to collect them at the bar. Charlie finally has his moment. 

Dee is sitting directly across him in the booth. She is wearing her usual look of tee shirt and jeans. Her face looks perfect, makeup perfectly so. The alcohol has barely seemed to effect her except slight clumsy hands.  
"Dee... Truth or Dare"  
"Wait til they get back Charlie" she never looks him in the eye anymore. Not since he told her she looked nice. Always.  
"Truth or Dare Dee"  
"Dare"  
"... I dare you to tell the truth"  
"Charlie, you can't do that!!"  
"I'm sorry- we never said that wasn't a rule! Now be quick before they come back" 

Dee straightens up immediately and her eyes zero into Charlie's. She finally gets that this is important. 

"Do you think about it?"  
"What?"  
"C'mon Dee"  
"It? It what?" She looks away pretending to not care but her fingers drum on the top of table rapidly.  
"Don't be a bitch Dee. You know what I am talking about"  
"I have no idea what you are talking about"  
"Do you want me to scream it out right now? Like really loud?"  
Dee glares at Charlie and leans over the tabletop until her face is close to Charlie's  
"Don't you dare"  
"Then answer the god damn question Dee!"  
"Goddamn it Charlie! Of course I do!" She growls out in frustration but softens immediately after the words come out of her mouth.  
"Of course I do. Like all the time. I wish it would have been terrible..."  
"But it wasn't"  
"It wasn't. It was..."  
"Amazing"  
"... yeah" Dee breathes out. She is staring at him like they are the only people in the world. Charlie's hand leans closer to hers on the table and rubs his pinkie finger over hers as it lays on top of the table. 

The rest of the gang come over to the booth- running the moment. Both Dee and Charlie move their hands away quickly. Both Dee and Charlie don't talk or look at each other the rest of the game. 

Charlie got the answer he wanted. Now he doesn't know what to do about it. Should he ask her out on a date? Just turn up at her place and get wasted (Dennis and Mac be damned?). Maybe he can just wait until the end of the night and talk to her properly.

What does want though? Does he want Dee? Does he just want to bang her?  
Does he want the Waitress?  
How come he never thinks of banging the Waitress?  
Does he want to be someone's boyfriend? 

Does he want to be DEE'S boyfriend? 

And what about the Gang?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Review please! 
> 
> I hope Charlie isn't coming off to OOC
> 
> Next Chapter: Charlie gets jealous!


	4. The Gang Whores Out Dee

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Gang has a new scheme!

There is a drunk in the bar. It's not like that's a new thing, most of their customers are crusty old dudes who spend all day drinking. But this guy is drunk and obnoxious. It's a quiet Wednesday night, everyone is bored and counting down the hours. But this guy is really getting on everyone's nerves. Especially mine, since he has decided I am his new drinking buddy. 

Charlie finds out his name is Avery Johnson. Apparently he is some big deal in Texas. As soon as Dennis and Frank hear who this idiot is, they suddenly taking a liking to this dude. They spend the rest of the night asking him a thousand questions that Charlie can't be bothered even paying attention to. Charlie's mind is hazy and unfocused. He might have huffed a little too much glue earlier this morning. His eyes are unfocused and the alcohol that this douchebag is feeding him isn't helping. He is paying more attention to Dee anyway. 

Has she always glowed?  
Why is her smile nice now? He never pay attention before. Okay maybe he noticed sometimes but like is she like more pretty now? 

He has 10 unopened text messages from the homeless man outside the Waitress' apartment, waiting for him on his phone. He can't be assed to check them (he hasn't deleted them yet either too). The rich Texan douchebag has his arm around Charlie, yelling and howerling at Frank and Dennis' jokes. The guy is almost as drunk as they are (they are functional alcoholics though). 

Frank is outlining some shady business deal he has in the wires (literally- like stealing copper wire. He has been trying to get Charlie to actually do the legwork on it for months). The rich dude is nodding along like he is listening but he isn't. 

"She is smoking guys!" He whistles over to Dee and gives her a look that Charlie thinks is trying to be flirty but Dee doesn't seem to buy it. Yet she still comes over and fills up his drink.  
"What's your name babe?"  
"Dee"  
"Dee huh? I'm Avery. You should stay here with the bottle. Have you ever been to Paris baby? It's great" the rich dude bleaches as the Frank and Dennis look on in shock and horror.  
"I have this place there. Do you want to see Paris?" The guy is smiling at Dee like he wants to eat her. Charlie wants to sock this guy right in the eye. Charlie moves to take his arm off him but before he can, Dee gets a phone call and walks off without any response but an eye roll. 

This jerk keeps getting drunk and keeps hitting on Dee. Constantly. Like it's really starting to piss him off now (he isn't sure why?). Eventually the guy calls for someone to pick him up when he can now longer stand. Charlie and Mac help this guy out of the bar and into the car. Before Charlie could slip out of his grasp, the douchebag invites the whole gang out to some dance club that Charlie hasn't heard of tomorrow night. He leans in closer and specifically asks Dee to come along. Charlie pushes the douchebag off him sloppily and starts chanting yeah yeah yeah. Just agreeing with the dude so he can fuck off and Charlie would never see him again. 

\-------------------------------------------

Back inside the bar, Frank, Mac and Dennis are all huddled together. Obviously scheming, Charlie is too tired and bored to care. 

Where did Dee run off to? 

"Charlie? Charlie?! God damn it CHARLIE?" Charlie spins around to face the guys at the bar with all the yelling.  
"Wha?" His mind is feeling all heavy. Too much alcohol.  
"Avery invited you out tomorrow yeah? To The Whisper Club yeah?"  
"I think so. Didn't really listen"  
"Didn't listen? Jesus Charlie. Do you not know who that guy was? He is rich. Like oil family rich. Obviously since he got piss drunk in our terrible bar something must be going on with him" Mac spurts out. Like he knew who the douchebag was, I bet Dennis told him.  
"He broke up with his wife and seems like he might loose his kids in the divorce" Dennis is looking at his phone. Must have looked him up. Charlie is bored now and starts swivelling on his chair to find Dee. 

"Okay. So obviously it's woman troubles. So we go to the club tomorrow with him. Get him super drunk again and get him to give us money" Dennis is speaking. Charlie doesn't care.  
"I will get him to invest in my cooper wire scheme"  
"Fuck no Frank. He didn't care about that. We need another way to pick his pockets" Charlie wants to groan at the Gang. Trying to scheme more money again...  
"We could get a babe. Seems like with the marriage breaking up, he might give it all up for a babe giving him some attention. She could flirt with him a bit and get all his bank account details" says Mac.  
"Get his bank account details? Like it's that easy? And what? You want to hire a whore to do this job?" Dennis obviously thinks Mac is stupid. Mac is stupid... Charlie thoughts are jumbled and his head hits the top of the bar slowly.  
"We don't need a whore. We have Dee" Frank quickly jumps on board. Charlie immediately sits up- they want to whore out Dee? He can't actually believe it. Dennis looks furious too. Charlie is glad someone agrees with him. How low can they go? God..  
"Dee? Sweet Dee?! As a whore?! My god. Do you want this scheme to fail?! We need someone hot and attractive not ugly." Dennis is an asshole- Charlie doesn't agree with him at all. Mac is nodding along like he agrees though.  
"Dennis, you do realize your sister is a good looking girl. Like better than most of the girls you pick up. Plus Avery was all over her! He will be putty in Dee's hands" Frank says.  
"She is an ugly lanky god damn bird! No way she is better than the girls I sleep with" Dennis all but screams. Charlie is shaking his head rapidly as he listens along. Dennis is wrong. So wrong.

They keep arguing and Charlie keeps trying to tell them that this is a horrible scheme, a terrible plan and that Dee isn't a whore!! But no one listens. He thinks that maybe his words are coming out all jumbled and weird. They are barely paying attention to him. Charlie walks to bathroom and splashes some water on his face to give him some sense. 

It works. He feels better. He comes back out to the bar and finds the gang still arguing about details of the scheme. Charlie starts to wind up into a rant about how he is against this scheme when Dee walks in from the basement. 

"Dee! Deandra! My darling daughter. We need your help" Frank drags her to the bar as Dee swats him away and looks at him like some idiot.  
"What the fuck Frank? Jeez stop yanking on me. What? What?! What do you idiots want?"  
"We need you to whore yourself out to that Drunk rich dude who was here before"  
"Sorry?" She is actually laughing- like it's a joke.  
"Tomorrow night, he is gonna be Whisper Bar. We all go. You flirt with him, go to hotel room, bang him and get him to give you some money or his bank details, chequebook or something" Mac says completely seriously. Dee looks furious. Charlie feels relived that she isn't going along with it. Charlie decides to watch all this from the other side of the bar. He doesn't want her to think he is involved in this- he isn't!  
"Bang some guy for money? Are you fucking kidding me?!"  
"A rich guy Deandra!"  
"Why do you even want his money Frank? Those two jackoffs I get. But you have heaps of money"  
"Can never have too much money Deandra" Frank shrugs like it ain't no big deal. 

Dee starts ranting about how they are all scumbags, that she would never, ever help them or fuck some rich idiot for money. Charlie has never felt prouder of her. Dee storms out pretty quickly after that and the rest of the gang starts asking around for hookers they can use for their scheme. Charlie isn't against the scheme now that Dee isn't involved but still doesn't really want to do any work on it. He will do whatever they tell him too when the scheme begins. 

Later Charlie goes back to his Charlie Work to close the pub down when he is taking the trash out. He is out in the alley dumping his trash when he finds Dee leaning against the wall in the alleyway with a cigarette in hand. 

Since when does she smoke?

"I wasn't involved" Charlie just blurts out. He feels the need to tell her. Like she needs to know he wouldn't do that to her.  
"I know Charlie" she smiles sadly as she takes another drag on her cigarette and looks into his eyes. Charlie dumps the trash near the bin as he walks over to her.  
"It was awesome how you told the guys off"  
"Yeah I guess. They still doing the scheme?"  
"Ah I think so. I heard them talking about trying to get convince some of the strippers Frank knows. I think that's where they went. I didn't really care to be honest" Dee hands him the cigarette to take a puff. He isn't that keen on smoking but right now he wants to just be around her. So he will smoke in the alley if he can just spend an extra minute with her.  
Charlie starts just chatting. Not talking about anything interesting but just to talk. Dee listens. She asks questions when she wants to. It's nice. Like really nice. Is this how people feel when they hang around people they like? 

"How's the Waitress?" Dee asks out of the blue.  
"Dunno. Haven't seen her in a bit"  
"Why?"  
"... I dunno"  
"Do you miss her?"  
"... not really" Charlie is confused by this conservation.  
"Huh" Dee looks down at the pavement like really intently. She puts out her second cigarette and turns to smile at Charlie and walks away. Charlie is still confused about what just happened. 

\--------------------------------------------

The Whisper Bar is the worst! It's too loud, too bright and full of clean boring people rubbing up against each other. Charlie hates people touching him (some people excluded). Charlie has been here for hours with Avery, getting him pissed off his face. Just like the Gang told him too. Charlie sticks out like a sore thumb in this crowd, he looks the same he always does. Ratty tee shirt and jeans with his military jacket over the top. Avery, however is wearing a nice suit- looking like the millionaire he is. Rather than the drunk he did last night. 

Charlie is getting bored pretty quickly. Avery is actually an alright dude but it's taking forever to get him drunk enough to be played. Charlie keeps looking around the club trying to find the Gang or the girl they employed to bang this guy. He only spots Mac and Dennis once in the balcony. He doesn't even know what the girl looks like to be honest. He probably should though right? That seems like a mistake. 

Either way Avery is distracted. He is finally getting drunk enough to start the scheme. Now if Charlie could only find this god damn whore?!

Avery pulled Charlie over to the edge of the dance floor as he spots a couple of girls he likes. Charlie doesn't really pay attention but he is sure that they aren't who they hired. They are too normal, too pretty, too clean. 

Suddenly a leggy blonde with a thin body starts dancing enticingly in front of Charlie and Avery. Her back is to them but she is moving her hips back and forth. It's all very sexy and Charlie thinks it's pretty hot to be honest. So does Avery. Her head turns over her shoulder and it's Dee! 

Charlie's eyes bulge out of his head as he watches Dee dance. She looks beautiful. Like better than any of these other girls. She is wearing a tiny pair of black shorts with a black blouse and tiny boots on her feet. Her lips are red and enticing. Charlie wants to grab her and kiss her all over. He wants to bang her again so bad...

Hold on, what she is doing here? Why is looking at Avery? Oh no...

Dee starts dancing closer to Avery. Her back to his front. Avery recognizes Dee from last night and starts chatting her up. Dee smiles coyly and giggles and flirts. He has never seen her like a... normal? girl ever. Avery gets distracted by some guy he knows walking past and turns slightly away from Dee. Charlie is so confused about what's happening that he doesn't even notice that Dee had angled her body to be grinding up against his. Charlie suddenly can only pay attention to Dee and her body. His hands immediately grip her hips as she leans back on his front and grinds against him. Charlie has to hold back a moan. He wants to kiss her. 

"I am going to steal those idiots scheme Charlie" she turns her head over her shoulder to look in his eyes. Charlie can barely respond. He is so distracted by her body. Like- how can she be so sexy now? Just because he had his penis inside her? Weird huh?

"Don't do this Dee. You are better than a whore Dee. Don't fuck him. Please" Charlie wants her to understand. She isn't what Dennis makes her out to be. She is so much more. He really wishes that he could tell her to leave the bar, leave the Gang and leave Philly. But he is selfish- and he wants her around. 

Avery is back and Dee looks at Charlie with a look he has never seen before. Like so soft and looks like there are tears in her eyes. Avery drags Dee off to the bar and Charlie decides that he cannot stay around for this. He leaves. As he walks out he sees Mac and Dennis in the balcony screaming and arguing . They try and get Charlie's attention but he doesn't care. 

 

\--------------------------------------------

Charlie stays in his bad room at the bar that night. He doesn't want to be around Frank. He might strangle him for this stupid scheme. He wishes he could avoid Paddy's but he has nowhere else to go. He does his Charlie Work in the basement all day until he hears Dee turn up for work. He can hear Dennis and Mac argue with her about ruining their scheme. Charlie decides to come out of the basement. Not because of Dee, but because he needs to take a piss. 

As he walks into the bar, Mac waves him over as Dee and Dennis cut each other to pieces in another fight. Mac asks him where he has been and Charlie shrugs. 

Dee grabs something out of her handbag and lays down piles and piles of hundred dollar notes on the bar dramatically. Everyone stops talking. 

"What's that?" Dennis points to the cash.  
"Got it from Avery" Dee looks smug as shit. Charlie feels sick. So she slept with him. The Gang is so fucking toxic- look what they made her do?  
"Good job Deandra! I can find you other marks to bang for money as well" Frank starts counting the notes before Dee hand slaps him away and she takes all the money back.  
"Hold on there Frank, you ain't going to be my pimp. In fact I don't need a pimp. I didn't bang him you assclowns. I got him drunk, flirted him and made sure to get his pin code before I gave him a sleeping pill. This just some of the money I took out before he cancelled his card this morning when he noticed it was gone" Charlie can tell that Mac and Frank are impressed with her. Dennis is trying not to be impressed. 

Charlie thinks he might be in love with her.

\-----------------------------------------

Later that day, Charlie is the backroom fixing the vents when Dee walks in and gives him a share of the money. She tells him that the other idiots are getting nothing but she wants to give him something. 

"Why are you giving me some but not them?"  
"Cos I like you and hate them" she smiles at him and eyes sparkle. Charlie hasn't felt this happy inside in years.  
"Wanna go for a smoke?" Dee asks and Charlie nods quickly.


	5. Charlie finally figures it out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlie finally recognizes his feelings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so after the finale of season 12, I kind of wasn't sure how to continue this but after thinking about it I have decided to make this a bit of a AU canon divergent from 10x06 until 11x12. I'm ending the story at the end of season 11. 
> 
> I have decided to do another multi chapter dealing with post season 12 instead. 
> 
> Either way this story has become slightly different. This last chapter was a bit hard at first but it kind of ran away from me at the end lol 
> 
>  
> 
> Anways I know that Dee doesn't usually wear sexy clothes and never wears shorts but I just start watching the Mick and Kaitlin has amazing legs and I want her to show them off :p hence the addition to the story. I also think that's Charlie has seen Dee thousand of times and it would be interesting for him to constantly see her in a new light. 
> 
> Anyway-
> 
> Feedback is always amazing :D

Charlie is having a bad day. They lost again. He isn't even sure why he and Mac play Chardee MacDennis anymore. They never win. This time particularly hurt. The Waitress cut him deep. Now he is in hospital, staring at the remnants of their destroyed play pieces. Dennis and Dee have just left after pretending to be concerned and then waiting until he was conscious to claim their prize. 

He is particularly hurt that Dee went along with it all. But he knows that Dennis is the master manipulator, especially in their relationship. Dee is a totally different person when she is on the same side as Dennis. He should expect no less than what happened. But that hurt too. 

The Waitress hurt him. Dee hurt him. He hurts.

Charlie hears a soft clearing of a throat near the door and it makes him look up. It's Dee. Looking pretty regretful, worried, caring, some kind of emotion Charlie isn't that too familiar with to be honest.  
"How you doing?" She asks, still standing at the doorway. He feels warm all over, knowing she made the effort to come back and check on him. Maybe even apologise?  
"Could be better"  
"Right, well I just wanted to see if you are ok. Got pretty intense and weird huh?" Dee looks at him, expecting some kind of response. Like a casual chit chat- obviously their isn't going to be an apologies about how much of a dick Dennis is and how she plays into his hands for scraps of his attention. Charlie is angry now.  
"Yeah it did! Enough to be in the hospital haha. Where's Dennis? Or Mac or even Frank? Didn't bring them along while you showed your concern?" Charlie's voice seethes in anger.  
Dee eyes bulge out of head and her hands grip the doorway tighter. She looks hurt..  
"They are back at the bar"  
"Right. Of course- can't lose face in front of Dennis... you are a terrible person when you are around him" Charlie goes for the jugular and immediately feels regret. Fuck! He doesn't mean that- he is just mad...

Dee looks down at the ground and Charlie can see her jaw clench and teeth grind. She turns and walks away without a glance back at him. Charlie starts to move up in his hospital bed to do.. something but she is already gone. 

It's better to be mad at her anyway. Makes things way less complicated. 

\--------------------------------------------

Frank falls out a window. They all pretend it's 2006. Charlie has to get a new roommate, maybe. When Mac is trying to push him to find someone, he has a terrible thought of what it would be like to live with Dee? He thinks it sounds pretty nice. Until he thinks of the fact that Dee would never live in his apartment and he doesn't want to leave his place. It's his. 

Plus he is still mad at her. Or at least wanting to be mad at her. She had been avoiding him since the hospital anyway. 

The Waitress becomes an opportunity to be a roommate and Charlie can't believe his luck. I mean 2006 Charlie would love. He isn't entirely sure how 2016 Charlie feels about it but he goes along with it. Until that doesn't happen anyway. 

Frank gets his memory back and everything is back to normal. 

\--------------------------------------------

The Gang goes skiing. It's all very weird and strange to Charlie. There seems to be Mountain rules? Because somehow Dee, Mac and Dennis are all world class skiers and Charlie is some kind of sex-god. Either way he goes along with it. He doesn't get it or understand how this is happening but he goes with the flow. 

He doesn't regret sleeping with the hooker. But he certainly doesn't want to do it again. He got more pleasure out of knowing he could bang her lots than actually doing it? Is that weird? Like it felt like it was missing... something. It felt the same as it did with Ruby. Like it was fun and felt nice but Charlie wasn't that bothered to do it again. 

Charlie doesn't think about how none of those feelings apply to how he felt after banging Dee. In fact, he still thinks or fantasizes about banging Dee on the regular. As much as he doesn't want to. 

They are driving back to Philly and the Gang is in a pretty good mood. Post-scheme or fresh from a break away from the same old same old of Paddys, the Gang tends to be pretty okay in each other's presence. The trip back is no exception. 

Mac and Dennis in the front, Mac has decided to be play some of Dennis favourite crap rock tracks. Dee decides to sing along, terribly to the point where Dennis threatens to pull over and push her out of car if she doesn't stop. Frank joins in, and suddenly they are all singing along to Dennis' tragic taste in music. 

Dee is singing loud and free, stuck in the middle of Charlie and Frank. Charlie looks over her profile as she sings hard and thinks she looks beautiful and free. Still wearing her bright neon 80s gear. She notices Charlie staring at her and she turns her head to his and smiles. 

Charlie feels a hand creep along the edge of his left hand resting on his thigh. Dee's hand is moving along the edge of his palm in time with the music. He doesn't know why she is doing it, but he can't stop staring at the skinny digit moving backwards and forwards along his skin. 

This feeling he feels inside is what was missing with Tatiana and Ruby. He doesn't know what it is, but he feels it every time Dee touches him. Even if it's just a finger. 

\--------------------------------------------

About a week after they get back from The Mountain, Mac gets involved in something to do with Charlie's art. Charlie can barely be bothered to remember or care. Meanwhile Dennis and Dee made some smut film with Richard Greco. He tries to pretend that playing Greco for a couple of days had nothing to do with Dee working along side him in some softcore porn. Charlie really thinks Greco is a cool dude, but Dee might have some influence. He isn't sure...

As soon as Charlie gets out of his Greco costume and back to regular Charlie Kelly, they are all sitting around the bar getting drunk. Somehow it has turned into each member of the gang rating the others attractiveness. He doesn't know why Dee even decided to play along when the other three of the Gang will just pull her apart about how she looks. 

He thinks she is beautiful, like super hot. He didn't say that of course. But he did say that he thinks her legs are her best feature. He thought it was an innocent enough compliment to say in front of Mac and Dennis but they look at Charlie like he has a second head. Charlie just shrugs it off and pretends it's because of the alcohol he said that. 

As Charlie expected, Mac and Dennis just roast Dee on how she is ugly, aging, looks like a bird and generally unappealing. Dee takes it like a champ though and shrugs and tells them that Mac opinion is shit because he doesn't even like girls and Dennis only likes whores. When they get all huffy, Dee laughs and laments that they can't come with anything better than something she has heard a thousand times before and downs her beer. Charlie honestly doesn't know how she doesn't let it get to her. Maybe it does- maybe it's all an act? It's a good act either way. 

\--------------------------------------------

The next day Dee comes walking into the bar two hours late for her shift- in short shorts. Like tiny black shorts and high heels. Charlie is standing at the end of the bar, stunned. None of the rest of the Gang even notice, but Charlie does. 

It's February in Philly. It's not hot, in fact it's fucking chilly outside and Sweet Dee is wearing shorts. Tiny shorts that show off her long tan legs. The legs he was just praising last night in this very bar. Now Charlie isn't the smartest man alive, but he knows that can't be a coincidence. 

Recently Dee has been making herself some extra cash by betting every barfly that comes into Paddys into a game of pool. No one knew that Dee happened to be some kind of master pool player but she is. She has been making tons of dough by scheming these old drunks out of their cash. Today is the same story except it isn't crusty old dudes but young idiotic frat boys.

Charlie doesn't know where they have come from, they have never been around before but suddenly the bar is overrun by heaps of douchy frat idiots. All of them challenge Dee to a game of pool where she flirts and giggles and they stare at legs and ass as she steals all their money. 

Now it's late at night, Charlie has been busy cleaning the back booths from sticky left over beer and missed most of Dee beating the last of the frat idiots. As Charlie gets out of the now clean booths to go sit at the bar with Frank and relax, he looks over at Dee. She is sitting on the edge of the pool table, long tan legs crossed over each other as she counts her winnings. 

He can't stop staring at her. He knows Frank has noticed and wondered what's going on. Frank keeps trying to get Charlie's attention but Charlie just can't stop looking. Dee looks up at him from her bills and smirks in triumph. Charlie smiles back and nods towards the back door to the alley. Their subtle signal to go for a smoke together. 

To be alone, together. 

Dee waltzes out of the bar into the alley, lighting up a cigarette as she goes. Just as Charlie moves to follow her out, Frank stands directly in his way looking slightly confused.  
"Okay, what's going on?"  
"Huh?" Charlie is confused but wants to go outside with Dee so tries to dodge way Frank but Frank keeps him in his place. Charlie actually stamps his foot in irritation.  
"What's going on with you and Deandra?"  
"What?! Nothing! Why would you think anything? That's crazy. You crazy Frank. She is a bird. A dirty...bird" Charlie is trying his best to cover but Frank doesn't look like he buys it.  
"Cmon Charlie"  
"Okay- it's nothing really. I just like hanging out with Dee. Is that a crime?!" Charlie wants to be calm about this. Play it off cool but his voice does that high pitch squeaky thing it does under pressure. Frank knows him too well to be fooled.  
"You looking at Dee like you look at the Waitress.."  
"I do not!"  
"Whatever Charlie. I don't care. But if I did care I would tell you that it might be nice for you and Deandra. To have each other.. she is one of us you know?" Charlie doesn't really know at all. Does he mean a weirdo loser? He is kinda right but Dee could be more. She just chooses to be in the Gang. Either way, Charlie is shocked that Frank seems to be giving him his blessing (does he even need it? Or even want it?). 

Frank walks off to the back room, leaving Charlie to his thoughts as he starts walking towards the back alley where Dee is. Franks kind of encouraging words spurn on Charlie to act. 

To act on something crazy. 

Charlie walks out into the fresh air and finds Dee standing against the red brick of the alley. Her cigarette is barely touched, obviously waiting for him to join her. Charlie is kind of touched that she waited for him. But he no longer feels like a smoke. 

He does take her cigarette directly from between her lips and takes a drag. He watches Dee's face as she inhales a gasp at his forwardness. He lets the cigarette and his hand fall to his side as he reaches out for Dee with his right hand. He takes his hand and gently runs his fingertips along the column of Dee's neck. He can tell she is confused but she hasn't moved away from him or his touch. In fact, she has lean into it- her body leaning into his. 

"Wanna explain the shorts?"  
"I like them"  
"Dee it's fucking cold out here. You have goosebumps from the cold."  
"I am allowed to wear whatever I want Charlie"  
"I think you wore them for a specific reason.." Dee looks at him and then glances at the door to the bar. Like she is terrified someone will catch them. Charlie doesn't care, if the Gang find out they smoke together in the alley it's no big deal to him. They can come out and find them making out for all he cares. In fact, the making out part is part of his plan.

He is sick of being in denial. So he wants Dee, he wants to bang Dee again (probably way more than just once), he wants to hang out with her all the time, he wants to touch her and laugh with her. So who cares? Who cares that Mac and Dennis will probably have some asshole reaction. He doesn't- not anymore. 

With his mind made up, Charlie leans in close and brushes his lips against Dee's softly. He doesn't want to scare her off, she is probably still afraid of what the Gang might do. That's why Charlie is surprised when she kisses him back- passionately. Her arms wrap around his shoulders and clings to him. One of her legs comes up along Charlie's side and he automatically grips it tight and runs his calloused fingers down the outside of her thigh. 

The kiss gets deeper and he can feel her moan and groan in his mouth. Charlie Kelly is about ready to bang her right here in the public alley outside Paddy's. Until Mac laughs loud in the background from somewhere inside the bar and Dee pulls back and freezes. 

Dennis starts calling out for Charlie (not even bothering to wonder where Dee is) and Charlie can actually see Dee visibly panicking. Charlie goes to grab her hand and drag her inside hand in hand and tell the rest of the Gang to fuck off. But before he can, Dee is already rushing off inside the bar. 

Charlie sighs and goes back into the bar. He has to convince her that it doesn't matter what the gang thinks. He isn't sure how to do that though.


	6. Sweet Dee crushes it

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dee shares something with Charlie.

As soon as Charlie walks back into the bar, Dee disappears into the back room. Charlie isn't going to hide the evidence of their mutual make out in the alley. He isn't going to wipe the lipstick off his lips. He isn't going to straighten his ratty clothes. He isn't going to hide the cigarette ash on his fingertips. In fact, he wants Mac and Dennis to ask questions. 

He wants them to notice. Because he is sick of agonising in denial about him and Dee. 

However, before Mac and Dennis can even begin to ask questions, Dee escapes out of the bar with her bag. Dennis screams at her for leaving in the middle of the shift and Dee doesn't even bother flipping him off. 

She must be pretty upset. Feeling frustrated at Dee and their situation, Charlie goes about the rest of his day not acknowledging Dee's departure, what happened in the alley and the guys curious expressions. 

The guys never ask about why Dee and Charlie were in the alley. Probably waiting for Dee to come back to roast them both. Charlie doesn't care. What he does care about is that Dee bolted after they kissed. 

He made her leave.  
Maybe she doesn't want him. 

 

Why would she?  
\------------------------------------------

The next day is the same as every other day. The Gang hangs all day at the bar doing shots and ignoring customers. Dee comes in three hours late for her shift. No one cares that she is late, it happens all the time. Charlie cares though. He cares for those frustrating three hours where he thought she just might not turn up. That he might have scared her away after their kiss. 

When Dee comes in for her shift, she doesn't speak a word to Charlie. They don't even say hey and even look at each other. It doesn't bother Charlie at first, he expected her to be slightly weird about yesterday. But as the day progresses into the night, Charlie gets more buzzed on like twenty shots and he starts to get angry at her. 

Like, god it's not a big deal. So they made out? Who cares. I mean they have banged before. He wants her to either act normal or act completely different by kissing him again (over and over). 

Just as he starts marching over to her at the bar to confront her, probably more like scream and argue with her, she tells Frank she is leaving work early. Frank doesn't even response except a shrug. Frank is high on some kind of upper that he got off the guys under the bridge so he is pretty blasted. Mac and Dennis don't even care at all. She leaves quickly after that and Charlie feels deflated.

It's a quiet night where they spend most of the night ignoring customers and discussing what superpower is the best. Charlie isn't really that interested in anything since Dee left. So when Frank nearly attacks a customer, he decides to take Frank home and drown his sorrow in huffing. 

\-----------------------------------------

It's relatively early in the night for Charlie to be in bed but Frank freaked out over the glow of lights, thinking it was some kind of sun explosion. Charlie didn't question it so he just turned off the lights and tucked Frank into bed. 

He lays their in bed with Frank who is tossing and turning talking nonsense. Charlie really didn't huff enough glue, it's already wearing off. He also didn't eat enough cat food because he is still wide awake. Charlie gets up to find more cat food but his phone begins making a chiming noise that he doesn't remember it doing before. 

It's a message from Dee. It's asking if Frank is awake. Charlie is annoyed, she knows he doesn't do text messages. He tries to type back that Frank is asleep but just decides to send 'no'. Dee replies back immediately telling him to go outside and that she is waiting in her car. 

At least that is what he thinks it says. 

Charlie is already out the door before he tries to read the text message four times. As soon as he sees 'car' and 'outside' he goes outside to see her.

Dee is leaning against her car with her phone in hand as Charlie comes out of the buliding. Charlie smiles at her and she immediately smiles back. It's weird for them but he likes it too. 

"You remember I don't do texts right?"  
" I couldn't call Charlie if Frank was asleep. I didnt want to wake him"  
"Yeah, what's with that? Why don't you want Frank to know..."  
"Cos he can't come along"  
"Come where?"  
"Get in the god damn car and I'll show you"

\------------------------------------------

It's an open mic night. Just like the one Dee does every night. As he sits to watch like the first time, Charlie doesn't get why she brought him here. Yeah, he finds it funny when Dee fails normally- but lately it's not as funny as it use to be. He is pretty sure he doesn't want to see her gag and fail again. 

She doesn't fail. At all. I mean she doesn't get that many laughs. But she does get a few. Mostly low chuckles but she definitely doesn't gag or get weird and nervous. The jokes don't involve terrible impressions and bad accents but kind of like the jokes she was telling when they made her fake famous. The jokes aren't as funny as they were then because she doesn't look like a disgusting dirtbag of sad. In fact, she looks good. Better than most of these jerks she is trying to get laughs from. 

Bottom line is though she doesn't fail. In fact, she is kind of funny. 

Charlie has this weird warm feeling inside as he watches her up there on the stage. It's kind of like when you do something awesome and people notice you. But he isn't the one doing the cool thing, but he still wants everyone to know that he knows Dee. Like they are buddies, friends, partners in crime kind of thing. Maybe more than that. He hopes it could be more than that. He finally realises that he feels pride? 

He doesn't think he has ever felt that before. Especially not in regards to friends. He doesn't think he has ever had friends that he was proud of. Except Dee. Here she is, conquering her fear and crushing her repeated failure at life in the face. 

He also feels pretty special that she brought him along. Who knows how long it took her to get to this point, how many times she went to this shitty comedy club and performed the same jokes trying not to gag until she got to this point. Charlie feels happy and warm, God damn it he thinks its the nicest he has felt sober in years and years. 

After she finishes her set and the crowd claps a bit and a few wolf whistles by the douchebags in the back, Dee plops herself down next to Charlie and downs her whole beer in one second. Charlie looks at her and he thinks she is most beautiful, perfect thing ever. 

Oh god damn it, he is in love with her.

When she looks at him after finishing her drink, she is obviously waiting for a response. Charlie smiles at her and gives her a hug. He doesn't know how else to say "oh my god you are amazing and hot and I am proud of you and god i just like you, a lot". So he hugs her and she tenses but immediately hugs him back. He hears her whisper that she wanted him to be here to see her perform before the Gang would ruin it. 

They spend the rest of the night heckling all the performers (good and bad), drinking tons of beer and smiling and giggling at each other. 

When she drives him home later, Charlie looks at her and wishes for the first time in nearly ten years that he lived alone. Because if he did he would want her to stay the night with him. Like maybe always? But definitely tonight. 

So when she pulls up to the front of his building, Charlie reaches out his hand to her thigh. Dee looks down at it immediately as she unbuckles her seatbelt. Charlie lets his hand creep up her leg slowly, he isn't entirely sure what he is doing but it feels nice and he is looking at Dee and she is looking at him and it feels good, like hot. She grabs him by the collar of his shirt and pulls him over to her in the front seat of the car. She immediately kisses him and deeply. Just like the day before in the alley, Charlie's hands start roaming Dee's slender body. His hands creep under her shirt and touch her skin. 

The kiss feels like it goes forever and Charlie doesn't want it to stop. He really wishes that Frank wasn't upstairs. Just as Charlie pulls out of the kiss to suggest going back to her place (Mac and Dennis probably won't be there right?), Dee smiles at him and says goodnight. 

Charlie is laying in bed awake later that same night, much like the beginning of the night thinking about Dee. He is feeling pretty good, he doesn't know what the hell to do about them or the gang but he loves her. He can figure it out. He does finally realise he still hasn't talked to her about any of this or how she feels. 

But she kissed him, that's good right?


End file.
